10 Reasons Women Should Be Watching “Parenthood”

For the last few weeks, I had been hearing from friends that the show “Parenthood” was reaaaallllly good. Only, no one explained why. But that was enough for me. So this past weekend I had a date with Hulu and now I am officially obsessed with the entire Braverman family. And you should be too! To say the least, “Parenthood” is the perfect show for women and, unlike my friends, I can actually give you 10 reasons why.

There’s A Breadwinning Mom. If you’ve ever put your career before your family, or thought about it, then you’d totally love Julia Graham––the working mom with a stay-at-home husband. She’s a successful lawyer with two kids and she’s not the one doing the cooking or cleaning. Although one particular MILF may try to sabotage her perfect relationship, Julia’s one tough cookie who’ll inspire you.

And A Single Mom. On the other end of the mom spectrum is Julia’s sister, Sarah, who has no college degree and spent the last 15 years working as a bartender to single-handedly support her two kids. Sarah’s had quite the trials and tribulations (just moved back in with her parents, has a deadbeat ex-husband), but she’s still standing and trying her finest to ensure that her two teens won’t make her same mistakes.

And A Classy Cougar. And when Sarah’s not pouting about or preventing her children’s destruction, she’s busy being courted by a devilishly good-looking man who is 13 years her junior. Despite the age gap, Sarah keeps the courtship sweet by really thinking about the effects her suitor’s age will have on their relationship and how it will impact her children. This, of course, only works to make you like single-mom Sarah even more.

And A Hot English Teacher. Oops! Did I forget to mention that Sarah’s suitor is a smoking hot English teacher? Better yet: he’s her daughter Amber’s English teacher, who Amber may or may not also have a crush on. But most importantly: Hot. English. Teacher! I mean, I’m fairly certain no other kind of English teacher exists, but in case you’re doubtful, Mr. Cyr (aka H.O.T.) is one sure reason to dial your DVR to NBC on Tuesdays at 10 p.m.

Faking Orgasms Are Explained. Never in the history of bedroom banter or late-night girly discussion has a conversation about females faking orgasms so perfectly expressed the female psyche as the pinnacle scene (video above) in the aptly titled “The Big O” episode. When Sarah’s brother confronts her about the topic, because he fears that his wife has faked an orgasm or two, Sarah explains, “It’s an act of generosity. It says to you: ‘Thank you so much for trying, please come again soon!” The writers roll hilarity and seriousness into one.

As Are Landing Strips. Not sure what to do down there? Neither are the ladies of “Parenthood” and their conversations about femme subjects are totally humanizing. The Braverman women are so down-to-earth, a comforting characteristic that we don’t come by too often on TV. They’re definitely the moms and aunts you’d want to invite over for your next holiday gathering.

The Cast Is Stellar. Major props to the casting directors because they pulled a bunch of random familiar faces from all corners of Hollywood and it definitely works. From Lauren Graham of “Gilmore Girls” fame to Dax Shepard, who is best known for his sidekick role on “Punk’d,” to Mae Whitman, who many remember as Anne on “Arrested Development” — the cast is an ensemble of extremely enjoyable actors. Even better, their physical appearances makes them a believable-looking family.

There Are Great Male Roles, Too. Speaking of the casting, you’re pretty much going to want to mother or marry every dude on this show. From the adorable 5-year old Tyree Brown, who plays Jabbar, to foxy stay-at-home dad Joel Graham, played by Sam Jaeger — this cast is cut from beautiful stone.

It Has An Amazing Soundtrack.Liza Richardson, who also music-supervises “Melrose Place” and is a radio DJ in California, will totally make your iPod cooler with her picks. From the Avett Brothers to The Kooks to Grizzly Bear and The Swell Season, this is one hip soundtrack that will keep you grabbing your phone to Shazam each new tune.

The Opening Credits Are Adorable. Of course the soundtrack would not be what it is without a classic opening song. Needless to say, Bob Dylan’s “Forever Young Continued” is a delightful accompaniment to the visual collage of character portraits and videos. And in the words of my roommate/also newly-made “Parenthood” fanatic, “The intro is sooooooooo cute! Heck, the whole show is soooooo cute!”